Study Identifies Genetic Regions that cause Bipolar Disorder

Research pinpoints two new genetic regions linked to bipolar disorder that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy and activity levels in individuals.

A team of experts from Germany and Switzerland examined common genetic variants among different individuals to determine whether genetic factors are behind the bipolar disorders. They used genetic information of 2,226 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 5,028 individuals without the condition. This data was combined with existing data sets and examined.

It resulted in the comparison of the DNA from 9747 bipolar patients with 14,728 healthy participants. Overall, the experts looked into 2.3 million genetic sequence or single nucleotide polymorphisms in all the participants.

The findings revealed 56 genetic sequences in five regions in the DNA that increase risks for bipolar disorders. The three regions- ANK3, ODZ4 and TRANK1 were already reported risk regions in the previous studies. The authors identified two other regions-ADCY2 and the region between the MIR2113 and POU3F2.   

Markus M. Nöthen, study author and researcher from the University of Bonn Hospital in Germany said, "There is no one gene that has a significant effect on the development of bipolar disorder. Many different genes are evidently involved and these genes work together with environmental factors in a complex way," reports MedicalNewsToday.

 The study focused attention on ADCY2 region as it codes enzyme that plays an important role in transmitting signals to nerve cells that results in the development of bipolar disorder. 

It was noted that individual genes contributing to the disease are very difficult to detect. Dr. Sven Cichon, researcher from the University of Basel Hospital, Switzerland said that looking at each gene was like, "looking for a needle in a haystack."

According to National Alliance on Mental Illness, bipolar disorder is one of the serious mental issues that affect nearly 10 million people in the U.S. The disease can cause serious damage to relationships, career and academic performance. If the condition is left undiagnosed or untreated it results in chronic depression that drives patients to contemplate suicide. 

More information of the study is available in the journal Nature Communications.